New driver’s licence, car licence and registration rules South Africans should know about

The Department of Transport has published new regulations which outline the validity of motor vehicle licences and registrations during South Africa’s 21-day lockdown.

On Wednesday (25 March) Transport minister Fikile Mbalula announced that driver’s licences which expired during the lockdown period will be given a 14-day grace period after the lockdown is lifted.

The new regulations have subsequently expanded this further by extending the grace period to 30 days for both driver’s licences and other types of vehicle licences.

The most notable changes include:

• During the lockdown, the validity period for learner’s licence, driving licence, motor vehicle licence disk, temporary permit, professional driving permit and roadworthy certificates shall be deemed to be valid and shall be extended for a further grace period of 30 days from the date of expiry of a lockdown period, unless determined otherwise by the minister;

• The validity period for the renewal of a motor trade number licence during the lockdown, shall be deemed to be valid and shall be extended fora further grace period of 6 months from the date of expiry of a lockdown period unless determined otherwise by the minister;

• Driving licence testing centres and vehicle testing stations will remain closed during lockdown period.

Mbalula has also amended the public transport directions under the National State of Disaster to assist South Africans in getting their social grants.

Under the current lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of Covid-19, public modes of transport are allowed to operate from 05h00 – 09h00 and again from 16h00 – 20h00.

“Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the days social grants would be paid, a number of industry bodies have made representations on the relaxation of hours (in which) public transport vehicles are allowed to operate,” said transport minister Fikile Mbalula on Sunday (29 March).

“Effective from tomorrow, 30 March 2020 until Friday, 3 April 2020, buses and taxis will be permitted to operate from 05h00 until 20h00 in order to cater to the transportation needs of society’s most vulnerable,” said Mbalula.

You can read the regulations below:

Licence Regulations by BusinessTech on Scribd

Read: All the new coronavirus lockdown regulations that South Africans should know about